Mark Bounthavong

Mark Bounthavong is a Professor of Clinical at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego (UCSD), with a significant research and clinical presence within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). His work focuses on improving patient outcomes through pharmacist-led interventions, academic detailing, and health services research.

His research interests span a broad and impactful range of topics including Pharmacy Practice, Health Services Research, Pharmacoeconomics, Opioid Use Disorder, Diabetes Management, Medication Safety, and Public Health Equity. He is a leading investigator in studies evaluating the cost-effectiveness and implementation of treatments for substance use disorders and chronic diseases within veteran populations.

His recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate a strong trend in implementation science and policy evaluation, particularly focusing on the impact of academic detailing programs on opioid safety, naloxone prescribing, and benzodiazepine use. A significant body of his work analyzes healthcare expenditures, resource utilization, and the economic burden of diseases like diabetes and opioid use disorder. His research also increasingly explores the role of pharmacists in chronic disease management using innovative technologies like continuous glucose monitors and telehealth.

He actively collaborates with a wide network of researchers, including key colleagues such as Candis Morello, Jonathan Watanabe, Alex Luli, and Jan Hirsch, and is a frequent contributor to high-impact journals in pharmacy, medicine, and public health.

Dr. Bounthavong has played a central role in several major funded initiatives, including the Advancing Pharmacological Treatments for Opioid Use Disorder (ADaPT-OUD) study and the Training the Next Generation of Pharmacist Educators (NextGenRxEd) program, highlighting his commitment to both research and the education of future pharmacy leaders. His work on academic detailing has directly informed VHA policy and practice.

His research is primarily conducted within the context of the Veterans Health Administration, where he has led and contributed to numerous multi-site implementation trials, evaluations of national programs (like the Opioid Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution program), and the development of clinical dashboards for monitoring program performance. His lab or research team functions as a core component of the VHA's quality improvement and implementation science efforts in pharmacy and substance use.